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Guided to Murder: A Small Town Tourism Cozy Mystery
Author This title has been fully revised and updated as of 19th of November 2025 to correct previous draft errors.
Her walking tour was supposed to showcase history, not a murder.
Historic preservation. Small town politics. Friends under suspicion. Hidden blackmail. Tourism in peril. Growing attraction.
Six months into her role as Millcrest Falls' Tourism Director, Ellie Summers has settled into small-town life and launched her first major initiative—historic walking tours highlighting the town's colorful past. When venture capitalist Richard Jones joins her inaugural tour, Ellie hopes his interest signals potential investment in the struggling town's future. Instead, it leads to murder.
Richard Jones is found stabbed with an antique mining tool at the restored miners' cabin—the final stop on Ellie's carefully planned route. All evidence points to Tyler McKenzie, Ellie's childhood friend and the historic preservation expert who restored the cabin, after their public argument about commercializing the town's heritage.
Convinced of Tyler's innocence, Ellie launches her own investigation and discovers Jones was no ordinary • He was blackmailing multiple town officials with damaging information • He had a secret connection to Mayor Bennett's rebellious teenage daughter • His ex-wife arrives unexpectedly, claiming rights to his investments • Councilman Peters was receiving suspicious payments from Jones's company
As Ellie delves deeper into Jones's past, she finds connections to the town that predate his "first" visit. When her tourism office is ransacked and threatening notes appear, it's clear the killer is watching her every move. With reluctant help from Sheriff Morgan and growing support from wilderness guide Finn Sullivan, Ellie must solve the case before the killer strikes again.
"The problem with digging into history," Eileen May warns, "is you never know what—or who—you'll unearth."
As the list of suspects grows, Ellie realizes the murder weapon isn't just any artifact—it's a genuine historical treasure worth a fortune on the black market. The killer's motive might lie not in Jones's blackmail scheme, but in the town's historical treasures that were supposed to attract tourists, not tragedy.
GUIDED TO MURDER is the first full-length novel in the Millcrest Falls Tourism Mystery series. While it follows the prequel, it can be read and enjoyed as a completely standalone mystery without any prior knowledge of the series.
Tropes you'll amateur sleuth with professional skills, childhood friend in peril, small town politics, historical secrets, developing romance, and red herrings that will keep you guessing until the final revelation.
Each book in the Millcrest Falls Tourism Mystery series features a complete mystery while building character relationships across the series.
Her walking tour was supposed to showcase history, not a murder.
Historic preservation. Small town politics. Friends under suspicion. Hidden blackmail. Tourism in peril. Growing attraction.
Six months into her role as Millcrest Falls' Tourism Director, Ellie Summers has settled into small-town life and launched her first major initiative—historic walking tours highlighting the town's colorful past. When venture capitalist Richard Jones joins her inaugural tour, Ellie hopes his interest signals potential investment in the struggling town's future. Instead, it leads to murder.
Richard Jones is found stabbed with an antique mining tool at the restored miners' cabin—the final stop on Ellie's carefully planned route. All evidence points to Tyler McKenzie, Ellie's childhood friend and the historic preservation expert who restored the cabin, after their public argument about commercializing the town's heritage.
Convinced of Tyler's innocence, Ellie launches her own investigation and discovers Jones was no ordinary • He was blackmailing multiple town officials with damaging information • He had a secret connection to Mayor Bennett's rebellious teenage daughter • His ex-wife arrives unexpectedly, claiming rights to his investments • Councilman Peters was receiving suspicious payments from Jones's company
As Ellie delves deeper into Jones's past, she finds connections to the town that predate his "first" visit. When her tourism office is ransacked and threatening notes appear, it's clear the killer is watching her every move. With reluctant help from Sheriff Morgan and growing support from wilderness guide Finn Sullivan, Ellie must solve the case before the killer strikes again.
"The problem with digging into history," Eileen May warns, "is you never know what—or who—you'll unearth."
As the list of suspects grows, Ellie realizes the murder weapon isn't just any artifact—it's a genuine historical treasure worth a fortune on the black market. The killer's motive might lie not in Jones's blackmail scheme, but in the town's historical treasures that were supposed to attract tourists, not tragedy.
GUIDED TO MURDER is the first full-length novel in the Millcrest Falls Tourism Mystery series. While it follows the prequel, it can be read and enjoyed as a completely standalone mystery without any prior knowledge of the series.
Tropes you'll amateur sleuth with professional skills, childhood friend in peril, small town politics, historical secrets, developing romance, and red herrings that will keep you guessing until the final revelation.
Each book in the Millcrest Falls Tourism Mystery series features a complete mystery while building character relationships across the series.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2025
2 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
About the author
Adelaide Mills
4 books5 followersSmall towns. Big secrets. Cozy mysteries with wit, warmth, and a body (or two).
Adelaide Mills writes cozy mysteries that blend clever puzzles, nosy neighbours, and heroines who can’t help stumbling into trouble. Her stories capture the charm and chaos of small-town life—where everyone knows everyone, gossip spreads faster than wildfire, and secrets never stay buried for long.
With a cup of tea in hand (or three), Adelaide creates twisty whodunnits full of humour, heart, and just enough danger to keep readers turning pages past midnight. Her amateur sleuths are everyday women—bakers, booksellers, and teachers—who prove that curiosity might kill the cat, but it also catches the killer.
When she’s not plotting her next fictional murder, Adelaide is devouring true-crime podcasts, alphabetizing her bookshelves, or pretending she’d totally survive in a murder mystery herself.
Adelaide Mills writes cozy mysteries that blend clever puzzles, nosy neighbours, and heroines who can’t help stumbling into trouble. Her stories capture the charm and chaos of small-town life—where everyone knows everyone, gossip spreads faster than wildfire, and secrets never stay buried for long.
With a cup of tea in hand (or three), Adelaide creates twisty whodunnits full of humour, heart, and just enough danger to keep readers turning pages past midnight. Her amateur sleuths are everyday women—bakers, booksellers, and teachers—who prove that curiosity might kill the cat, but it also catches the killer.
When she’s not plotting her next fictional murder, Adelaide is devouring true-crime podcasts, alphabetizing her bookshelves, or pretending she’d totally survive in a murder mystery herself.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 17, 2025
Ellie Summers, the new Tourism Director of Millcrest Falls, launches historic walking tours to revive the struggling town, but her inaugural tour takes a dark turn when a visiting investor is murdered. Evidence points to Ellie’s childhood friend, forcing her to question who she can trust in the close-knit community. As Ellie digs deeper, she uncovers long-buried secrets, tangled relationships, and rising tensions tied to the town’s past. With tourism, friendships, and her own safety at risk, Ellie finds herself drawn into a mystery far bigger than she expected. In Millcrest Falls, history proves far more dangerous than anyone imagined.
Thank you to Booksprout, House of King Publishing and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the book.
Thank you to Booksprout, House of King Publishing and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the book.
November 17, 2025
What a shambles. Avoid.
Unfortunately, 0 stars isn't an option.
The story starts well then suddenly characters change name, gender, job title etc. then later in the book revert to the original.
The town name changes three times.
The victim dies in various locations.
The victim's reason for being in town changes frequently as does the reason for being killed.
The suspect is charged, not charged, charged, released then is suddenly in jail.
The FMC is hit on the head and this is never mentioned again.
Evidence is discovered then rediscovered chapters later.
I could go on but I'm drained from reading this rubbish and trying to make sense of it.
The Dallas 'dream' comes to mind.
It's like three or four different versions of a story are badly lumped together and sod any continuity or basic storytelling.
One plus point - no obvious typos.
Avoid unless you want a headache.
I bought this title, I will be requesting a refund.
Unfortunately, 0 stars isn't an option.
The story starts well then suddenly characters change name, gender, job title etc. then later in the book revert to the original.
The town name changes three times.
The victim dies in various locations.
The victim's reason for being in town changes frequently as does the reason for being killed.
The suspect is charged, not charged, charged, released then is suddenly in jail.
The FMC is hit on the head and this is never mentioned again.
Evidence is discovered then rediscovered chapters later.
I could go on but I'm drained from reading this rubbish and trying to make sense of it.
The Dallas 'dream' comes to mind.
It's like three or four different versions of a story are badly lumped together and sod any continuity or basic storytelling.
One plus point - no obvious typos.
Avoid unless you want a headache.
I bought this title, I will be requesting a refund.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews